Showing 20 articles starting at article 841
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Ecology: Extinction
Published Team designs molecule to disrupt SARS-CoV-2 infection
(via sciencedaily.com) A team of scientists designed a molecule that disrupts the infection mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and could be used to develop new treatments for COVID-19 and other viral diseases.
Published Extinction of steam locomotives derails assumptions about biological evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) When the Kinks' Ray Davies penned the tune 'Last of the Steam-Powered Trains,' the vanishing locomotives stood as nostalgic symbols of a simpler English life. But for a paleontologist, the replacement of steam-powered trains with diesel and electric engines, as well as cars and trucks, might be a model of how some species in the fossil record died out.
Published Rare beetle, rediscovered after 55 years, named in honor of Jerry Brown
(via sciencedaily.com) While sampling for insects on former California Gov. Jerry Brown's ranch, a University of California, Berkeley, entomologist collected a rare species of beetle that had never been named or described -- and which, according to records, had not been observed by scientists in over 55 years. The new species will be named Bembidion brownorum, in honor of Jerry Brown and his wife, Anne Brown.
Published Looking from different perspectives! Proper electronic structure of near-infrared absorbing functional dyes discovered
(via sciencedaily.com) A research group has discovered that near-infrared absorbing dyes, which had previously been considered to have closed-shell electronic structures, have an intermediate electronic structure, between closed- and open-shell structures. They also found that as the wavelength of near-infrared light that can be absorbed becomes longer the contribution of open-shell forms increases within the dye. These newly discovered characteristics are expected to be utilized to develop new near-infrared absorbing dyes that can absorb longer wavelength near-infrared light.
Published Photosynthesis: Varying roads lead to the reaction center
(via sciencedaily.com) Chemists use high-precision quantum chemistry to study key elements of super-efficient energy transfer in an important element of photosynthesis.
Published Scientists discover easy way to make atomically-thin metal layers for new technology
(via sciencedaily.com) A new breakthrough shows how to make MXenes far more quickly and easily, with fewer toxic byproducts.
Published Habitat will dictate whether ground beetles win or lose against climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) The success of North American crops from corn to Christmas trees partly depends on a relatively invisible component of the food web -- ground beetles. Nearly 2,000 species of ground beetle live in North America. New research shows that some of these insects could thrive while others could decline as the climate changes. The team found that the response will largely depend on the species' traits and habitats and could have significant implications for conservation efforts.
Published At least 80% of the world's most important sites for biodiversity on land currently contain human developments
(via sciencedaily.com) At least 80% of sites identified as being internationally important for biodiversity on land currently contain infrastructure -- of which more than 75% contain roads. In the future, more sites that are important for biodiversity could contain powerplants, mines and oil and gas infrastructure.
Published Towards reducing biodiversity loss in fragmented habitats
(via sciencedaily.com) By combining lab experiments and mathematical modelling, researchers have found a way to predict the movement of species that could guide conservation efforts to reconnect fragmented habitats.
Published Photosynthesis 'hack' could lead to new ways of generating renewable energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have 'hacked' the earliest stages of photosynthesis, the natural machine that powers the vast majority of life on Earth, and discovered new ways to extract energy from the process, a finding that could lead to new ways of generating clean fuel and renewable energy.
Published Uracil found in Ryugu samples
(via sciencedaily.com) Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected by the Hayabusa2 mission contain nitrogenous organic compounds, including the nucleobase uracil, which is a part of RNA.
Published Synthesis gas and battery power from sunlight energy
(via sciencedaily.com) Plants use photosynthesis to harvest energy from sunlight. Now researchers have applied this principle as the basis for developing new sustainable processes which in the future may produce syngas (synthetic gas) for the large-scale chemical industry and be able to charge batteries.
Published Imaging the proton with neutrinos
(via sciencedaily.com) The interactions of the quarks and gluons that make up protons and neutrons are so strong that the structure of protons and neutrons is difficult to calculate from theory and must be instead measured experimentally. Neutrino experiments use targets that are nuclei made of many protons and neutrons bound together. This complicates interpreting those measurements to infer proton structure. By scattering neutrinos from the protons that are the nuclei of hydrogen atoms in the MINERvA detector, scientists have provided the first measurements of this structure with neutrinos using unbound protons.
Published Molecular teamwork makes the organic dream work
(via sciencedaily.com) Molecular engineers have triggered a domino-like structural transition in an organic semiconductor. The energy- and time-saving phenomenon may enhance the performance of smartwatches, solar cells, and other organic electronics.
Published 'Fishing' for biomarkers
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers have devised a tiny, nano-sized sensor capable of detecting protein biomarkers in a sample at single-molecule precision. Fittingly coined as 'hook and bait,' a tiny protein binder fuses to a small hole created in the membrane of a cell -- known as a nanopore -- which allows ionic solution to flow through it. When the sensor recognizes a targeted molecule, the ionic flow changes. This change in flow serves as the signal from the sensor that the biomarker has been found.
Published Coffee plantations limit birds' diets
(via sciencedaily.com) A new study explores a record of birds' diets preserved in their feathers and radio tracking of their movements to find that birds eat far fewer invertebrates in coffee plantations than in forests, suggesting that the disturbance of their ecosystem significantly impacts the birds' dietary options.
Published Can synthetic polymers replace the body's natural proteins?
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists developing new biomaterials often try to mimic the body's natural proteins, but a chemist shows that simpler polymers -- based on a handful of plastic building blocks -- also work well. Using AI, her team was able to design polymer mixtures that replicate simple protein functions within biological fluids. The random heteropolymers dissolve and stabilize proteins and can support cells' normal protein-making machinery. The technique could speed the design of materials for biomedical applications.
Published Mountain forests are being lost at an accelerating rate, putting biodiversity at risk
(via sciencedaily.com) More than 85% of the world's bird, mammal, and amphibian species live in mountains, particularly in forest habitats, but researchers report that these forests are disappearing at an accelerating rate. Globally, we have lost 78.1 million hectares (7.1%) of mountain forest since 2000 -- an area larger than the size of Texas. Much of the loss occurred in tropical biodiversity hotspots, putting increasing pressure on threatened species.
Published Protein engineers navigate toward more targeted therapeutics
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers uncovered the role of the third intracellular loop in the G protein-coupled receptors' signaling mechanism, which could lead to a more targeted approach to drug discovery and a paradigm shift for new therapeutics.
Published Nano cut-and-sew: New method for chemically tailoring layered nanomaterials could open pathways to designing 2D materials on demand
(via sciencedaily.com) A new process that lets scientists chemically cut apart and stitch together nanoscopic layers of two-dimensional materials -- like a tailor altering a suit -- could be just the tool for designing the technology of a sustainable energy future. Researchers have developed a method for structurally splitting, editing and reconstituting layered materials, called MAX phases and MXenes, with the potential of producing new materials with very unusual compositions and exceptional properties.